Fairytale STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) is a popular topic in the Early Years world. The combination of classic stories with other disciplines works well and is often a favourite with young children as the activities bring the tales to life. This week we looked at Goldilocks and the Three Bears from a STEM…

One of the first steps towards formal learning for pre-schoolers is often starting to learn the names and features of basic shapes. This is important for future mathematical understanding as well as being able to communicate clearly with those around them; so there is benefit in ‘teaching’ 2 or 3 year olds this. However, it…

Over the past few years, we have tried out different museums, attractions and visitor centres for things to do with toddlers, pre-schoolers and now primary-aged children, many of which are really, really good. But one place stands out as the BEST one- and we always come back, every year. The Investigate centre in the basement…

I’ve posted before about the rise in STEAM learning– combining Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths with the Arts. For this type of activity, we tend to rely heavily on the items in our ‘STEAM box’. Big and Little both enjoy STEAM play; Little obviously needs a lot of support at the moment, but his ideas…

The importance of encouraging STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) activity in young children is widespread throughout early years thinking; numerous articles can easily be found on the subject, and especially on how we can all encourage more girls to engage with STEM at an early age. There is a newer development in this field;…

This ladybird literacy tray is a fun activity to help young chidlren to explore telling the time, through a story. This week we invested in a 1m square cement mixing tray. Named “Tuff Spot” or “Tuff Tray”, this type of activity is widely used in childcare or Early Years settings. It is a space where…